seynge that our lorde hymselfe in so many places of scripture doth make meÌ„tion of his â—oule and doth call hymselfe the sonne of man as whan he sayth Mat. xxvi ☞ My soule is heuy euen vnto the death And whaÌ„ he sayth Father into thy handes I do coÌ„mende my soule And Luce. xxiii Iohan. x. Iohan. viii Noman doth take my soule or lyfe from me but I do laye it froÌ„ me you do seche to slee me beynge a man whiche haue spoken the trouthe vnto you And seynge that Paule witnesseth the same sayinge i. Timot. ii The mediatoure betwen god men the man Christe Iesus yf they do geue credeÌ„ce to the scriptures how or with what face dare they deny that thynge whiche the scriptures done so manyfestly expresse pronunce yf they do not beleue the scriptures howe may they for shame desyre to be accompted taken for ChristeÌ„ men yf they wolde seme to be philosophers who euer ones dreamed that that thynge myghte be called a man whiche lacketh the fourme of man whiche fourme I meane the soule whaÌ„ it is presente causeth one to be a maÌ„ whaÌ„ it goeth away caused that thynge whiche was before a man than to lese the name of a man Those men whiche haue so wondrefull madde opinions they stonde in daunger them selues and not vnworthyly leste they may seme not to be men Neither was the opinion whiche Apollinarius dremed muche wiser than these aforereherced whiche dothe suffre a soule to be geuen to Christe Apollinarius but so that he dothe take froÌ„ the sayd soule the mynd or vnder standynge for in quicke plantes there is a certayne lyfe for els they sholde not growe neither sholde they els be sayde to dye whan they do widder or drye vp And in brute beastes also there is a lyfe and soule for els they shold haue no fealynge or perceyuyng But mynde or reason and vnderstondynge amonge al sensyble creatures is onely to man This mynde is the princypall power of the soule by whiche it dothe dyscerne and iudge euery thynge from other by whiche it dothe ioyne or knytte together or els diuide and departe thyngê in sondre and by whiche it gathereth or concludeth one thynge of another by argumeÌ„tation and reasonynge But howe may they for shame professe Christe to be a man whiche do take awaye from hym that thynge by whiche man dothe cheflye and principallye dyffre from other beastes DIS Dyd than the mynde of Christe by reasonynge of thynges knowne gather and conclude suche thynges as were vnknowne to hym MA. There was nothynge vnknowne to Christe and yet as concernynge the condition and state of nature he hadde a reasonable soule For not aungelles neither do vnderstonde by reasonynge so as we do nether shall we our self fes vnderstonde in the general resurrection so as we do nowe But perfection added to nature doth not take awaye the veryte of nature For els the bodyes gloryfyed sholde be no bodies And yet is it none heresye or erroure to saye that the soule of Christe beganne to knowe certayne thynges whiche by the presence of the godhede it dyd afore perfyghtelye â—ee and perceyue I saye begane to knowe the same thynges otherwise after the maner of men not for that he knew theym not before But because the maner of his knowynge now was sondry and diuerse from the maner of his knowynge before Iohan. i. He had seen Nathanael whan he was vnder the Figge tree because he dyd knowe it more certaynly than we do those thynges whiche we do see with our iyes But afterwardes whan he saw hym with his bodyly eyes in dede he dyd not learne ony newe thyng whiche he knew not before but he sawe otherwise the same thynge that he hadde sene before Appollinarius Apollinarius addeth another madde opynyon that the worde dyd not take vnto it fleshe or body but that somewhat of the worde was tourned into fleshe mysunderstondynge the wordes of sayncte Iohan. Iohan. i. ☞ Et verbum caro factuÌ„ est id est and the worde was made fleshe that is to say after his false interpretation the worde was chaunged into fleshe lykewyse as the ayer condensated and made thycke or grosse is tourned into water and as the water raryfied and made fyne and subtyle is tourned into ayer But a man is not made of a countrefayte worde tourned into an humayne bodye but man is made of a reasonable soule and a mortall body yf by the worde they do vnderstonde the sonne of god god as he is made of nothynge soo can he not be tourned into ony thynge nor ony thynge into it yf we wyll speke proprely And yf philosophers do deny that fiere maye be tourned into water which are both creatures how much more agaynste all reason is it a thynge increated to be tourned into a thynge created But you wyll saye they make the worde a creature but a more excellente creature than all aungelles But yet euen betweÌ„ an aungell and the body of man there is more dyfference than is betwen fyar and water But this erroure conceyued folyshely of the euaÌ„gelystes wordes the wordes immediately folowynge do refelle and confute Iohan. i. Et habitauit in nobis that is to say and he hathe dwelled amonge vs. For that thynge is not sayde to be conuersaunte in body whiche is transformed into body But the body is well aryghte called the dwellynge place of the soule And man is well and aryghte called the temple of god Eutyches in greke is as muche to say as happie whiche is no righte name for that vnhappy wretched heretike And nowhitte wiser is the erroneouse opinion of falsenamed Eutyches whiche dyd putte in Christe to be but onely one nature compost and made of diuine and humane nature hothe to gether yf he hadde sayde that one syngulare persone hadde ben vned of two natures and that euen one persone indiuiduale as the terme of logicions is some what he hadde ben to be herde and beleued for it is certayne and vndowted that there was in Christe two or also thre sondrye natures and distincte eche of them from other Man is composte and made of a soule and a bodye But the diuine nature because it is moste syngle it refuseth all names or wordes of composition It vned or dyd knytte it selfe into one hypostase or persone by the meanes of the soule beynge ioyned and cleuynge to the bodye but it was not confused or mengled into the same nature Nestorius whiles he dothe dylygently eschewe Nestorius this lymekylle he felle into the colekylne professynge in Christe to be two perfighte natures the nature of god and the nature of man Prouerbe but he maketh than as manye persones denyenge the worde to haue ben vned and knytte to man into one persone but onely to haue inhabited maÌ„ by grace wherfore he gathereth and concludeth that in one Christe there is one persone of man
and another person of god and that Marie is not well called the mother of god but onâ—ly the mother of man all be it that the anngell in Lukes Gospel dothe saye to the virgine Luce. i. ☞ For that holye thynge whiche shall be borne of the shall be called the sonne of god For the vnite of the personage causeth that by a certayne idiomatuÌ„ .i. communione of proprietes of speakynge euen those thynges whiche do not agree but onely vnto the humane natu re maye also be sayde aryghte of god but onely in the voyces concrete God was borne of a virgine but not the godhed God suffred but not the godhede and Man is god but not the Nature of man is the godhed But because there is none ende of errouxes I wyll make an ende of this rehersall and I feare leste I haue allredye made the werye with rehercynge soo manye erroures DISCIPLE Uerylye I haue pitie on these heritikes Howe be it yet there madnes hathe doone me good by reason of whome it is caused that bothe I do more clerely perceyue and see the trouthe and also do more fastly beleue it MAG The heretikes are worthy no thaÌ„ke herefore but god is very greatlye to be thanked whose goodnes hath tourned the malyce and wickednes of other men vnto his seruauntes in to the lucre and encreace of godlynesse DIS Why is not than the symbole or Crede made in the synode holden at Constantinople contented to saye natus ex Maria virgine id est borne of the virgine Marie but addeth et homo factus est that is to say and was made man MAGI For they which wold dispute ony thynge subtyly of Christe allthough they be holden with diuerse sondry erroures yet in this one thynge they do al agree that they do deny hym to be man in as muche as they do take from hym some thynge whiche yf we haue not none of vs sholde be called truely a very man Therefore is this expressed Et homo factus est that is to saye And he was made man that no man sholde come to baptisme beynge infected with the poyson of them For els what man is so farre without coÌ„mune iudgemeÌ„te and reason that whan he hereth saye that the two Gracches were borne of Cornelia wyll aske the question whether the two Gracches were men DIS Whereof come it than that these men were soo meruaylously blynde MAG Ueryly because they had leuer make serche and dispute of the diuine matters than symplely to beleue theÌ„ The scripture sayth that we shal haue none vnderstondynge or perceyuynge excepte we wyll beleue But they wold perceyue and vnderstonde by the prowde philosophie of the worlde afore that they wolde beleue Lette here therfore be the ende of this coÌ„munication that after thou haste recorded these thynges with thy selfe in thy mynde and haste geuen thankes to the diuine spirit thou mayste retourne the more cherefull and lusty to learne the residue that is behynde The fourth in struction DISCIPLE IT foloweth ☞ He suffred vnder Ponce pilate was crucified deade buried M. Those men that geue vnto Christe an imaginarye and phantasticall body the same men do saye that all suche thynges as it is red that Christe dyd suffre in hys humane nature he dyd nat suffre them in very dede but only phantastically and apparently But we whiche taughte by god do beleue that he was a very man do also beleue that he did suffre verily and mater in dede both in mynd in body and that he was verily crucified deade and buried The deathe of a naturall man is the separation of the soule from the body whiche separation whan it is ones made all we do knowe what maner a thyng the deade body is than but the soule be cause it is iÌ„mortal though the body be decayed and fallen awaye yet hathe it styll beynge lyuynge with Christe if it departed froÌ„ the body with faythe and lokynge after the resurrection and risynge agayne of her owne body D. What difference is there betewne an aungell and a soule that is separated from the body The differeÌ„câ— betwene an aungell and a soule separated frome the body M. Uerily this that a soule is in dede a mynde lykewise as aungels are but so created of nought whan it is putte into the body that it is naturally apte to geue life to gouerne and to moue nat euery maner body but that body only to whiche it is spicially appoynted and ordayned by god This diâ—fereÌ„ce is there betwene the deathe of Christe and the deathe of one of vs The differeÌ„ce betwene Christes deathe and oures that our soule by the violence of sicknesse and disease orels thorowe defaulte and wante of humoures is driuen out from our body But our lorde willyngly layde from hym his soule and lyfe euen lykewise as he dyd wylfully com to the crosse and passion A token hereof and an euidente argumente is Math. xxvii that he gaue vp the ghoste vpon the crosse immediately after a greate and a strong crye Ye moreouer his owne selfe also saythe in the gospell of Iohan. Iohan. x. ☞ Noman taketh away my lyfe from me but I do laye it froÌ„ mine owne selfe D. But where was in the meane season the word or the seconde ê‘sone of the godhed whiche thou saydest to be so vned knytte to man that both together made one persone was it in the soule departed from the body orels was it in the deade body M. SaiÌ„t Augustine deuotely dyd beleue suppose that the godhed was neither separat froÌ„ the body neither froÌ„ the soule but was psente with theÌ„ both But it is bett not to entre into the coÌ„bre some mase of such maner questions out of whiche it is harde to fynde ony waye to gete out Now we do teache onely rudimentes and princyples and not the moste hyghe poyntes we do caste a fundation or grounde of our warke we doo not finishe and make it full perfighte for we do instructe a nouyce newely conuerted and not a diuine and to make an ende we doo informe a ionge soldier to faythe beleffe not an olde worne chauÌ„pion to battayle and fyghte DISC. Why do we adde these wordes passus est that is to say He suffred seyng that the sayde wordes are not â—â—ded of them in the olde tyme Dothe he not suffre who so euer is crucified MAG It appereth that this particle also was added agaynste certayne men whiche dyd imagine that the worde dyd as it were swalowe vp the body that it toke vnto it selfe and transfourming it after a certayne maner into it selfe dyd make it suche a maner body that it could nat fele any payne or greffe They say that Galanus was the authoure of this opinion Galanus But the scripture on euery syde speaketh openly agaynste this Fyrste Esaie the prophete saythe Esaie liii◠☞ He hath verily taken vpon hym our sycknesses and our sorowes and greffes he hathe borne
for the redeÌ„ptioÌ„ of mankynde Saynte Paule sayth playnly ☞ Christe risynge ones from deathe Rom. vi diethe no more deathe hathe power no longer ouer hym And that he diede as touchynge to synne he died but ones for euer but as touchyng to that he lyueth he lyueth to god Peter cryeth i. Petri. iii. Christe dyed ones for our synnes Thou hereste here expresselye that he died ones Thou hereste that he rose agayne and that he shal dye no more and doest thou say that he died not hymselfe but that another maÌ„ was brought in in his stede and was his vicare in suffrynge deathe lykewise as it is redde in poetes fables that in the ilonde called Aulis a whight hynde was conuayde in in the stede of Iphigenia which sholde haue ben slayn in sacryfyce And dothe another of you crucifie his soule agayne in helle And another agayne of you crucyfye whole Christe agayn in the ayer Thou hearest the prince of Apostles cryenge openly i. Petri. ii Christ suffred for vs and wylt thou o Iewe that his death dothe not proufighte or auayle onye man Lette vs nowe procede to other thynges DIS It foloweth he wente downe to helle MAG This is the article which as I sayde before Cipriane sayth not to be hade in the Romane symbole no neither yet to be added in the churches of the Easte ye and moreouer although the symbole of the synode holden at Nice or of the Synode holden at Constantinople is none other thyng than a declaration of this symbole yet is there not there neither so much as ony thiÌ„ge that is correspondeÌ„t to this particle Finally the very incoÌ„â—innite vnhaÌ„dsome ioyniÌ„ge or hangynge togeder of the speche oration is an euidente argument that it is a percell thruste in amoÌ„ge the other articles by some other man These wordes The article descendit ad inferna was no percelle of the Crede at the fyrste makynge of it sepultus est id est was buried do belonge to the body which layde aslepe by death doth ryse agayn that is doth as it were waken from slepe But these wordes desceÌ„dit ad inferos .i. he went downe to helle they do referre vnto the soule which neither was buried neither dyd rise agayn but beyng departed soÌ„dried for a tyme shortly after retourned agayn into the deade body Whether saiÌ„t Thomas of Aquine dyd adde this particle I am somewhat in doute There is a certayne suspitioÌ„ that it shold be added of some othere man at the leaste by this argument for that it is not in the mete place For whaÌ„ he doth make the thyrde article of the resurrectioÌ„ he maketh the 4. article of the goynge downe to helle excepte peradueÌ„ture he meante this that Christe after that he was rysen agayne from death to lyfe went downe in body and soule to hell Another litle worke whiche goeth abrode bearynge the title of saynt Thomas vpoÌ„ the symbole doth interprete and declare the contrary here of and doth vse also a coÌ„trary order for there the goynge down to hell goeth before the resurrectioÌ„ how be it this sayde opuscle although it be a clarkely and an holy worke yet it semeth not to be the worke of Thomas of Aquine DI. Why was not this particle added or put to why this article was lefâ— out â—A Because the fathers of olde tyme dyd with great relygyon and feare take hede and beware that they wold not affirme ony thynge namely in the crede whiche were not expressed in the holye scriptures of both testamentes Nowe suche maner articles are all the other onely this one excepted DI. Howe thaÌ„ durste they that came after be so bolde to adde it MA. Because they semed to themselfes that they hadde gathered this euidently enough of the holy scriptures diligently boulted and examined to the which they do adde some reasones also not those verily moste stronge and inuiÌ„cible but yet not vtterly vnprobale They do aledge and brynge forth these authorites of the psalmes Psal. xxi Et in puluerem mortis deduxisti me .i. And thou hast brought me into the duste of deathe And Psal. xxix Que vtilitas in sanguine meo duÌ„ descendo in corruptionem .i. what proufighte is there in my bloude whils I do go downe into corruption And agayn Descendi in limuÌ„ profundi et non est substantia Psal. lxviii And that also Domine eduxisti ab inferno animâ—m meam saluasti me a desâ—endentibus in lacum that is to say Lorde thou haste broughte forthe my soule froÌ„ hell thou hast saued me froÌ„ the noumbre of them that go downe into the pitte Psal. xv And that also Non derelinques animaÌ„ meam in inferno .i. Thou shalte nat leue my soule in hell Actes .ii Whiche testimony Peter in the Actes dothe teache to haue ben prophecied afore of Christ nat of Dauid Psal. lxxxvii so as the Iewes dyd interprete it The alledge also this texte Eruiste animam meam ex inferno inferiori .i. Thou haste delyuered my soule from the nether more hell Agayn this texte estimatus sum cum descendentibus in lacum factus sum sicut homo sine adiutorio inter mortos liber id est I was reputed amonge men goynge downe into a pytte I was made as a man without helpe among deade meÌ„ free and at lybertie Also that texte of Oseâ— the prophet ☞ Osâ—e xiii O mors ero mors tua et morsus tuus inferne that is to say O death I wyll be thy deathe and I shall be thy bytte o helle They brynge forth also of the gospell of Mathue the wordes of sayncte Iohan Baptist ☞ Arte thou he which shalte come Math. â—â— or shall we wayte after another for this speche some meÌ„ do interprete of Chistes goyng downe to hell They aledge also that texte of the Epistle oâ— Peter Christ was mortified and killed in dede as touchynge to his fleshe i. Pet. iii. but was quickened in spirte in which spirite he went also preached to the spirites that were in prisoÌ„ They alledge also of the .xxiiii. chapitoure of Ecclesiastici that whiche was spokeÌ„ and sayde vnder the persone of wisdome ☞ Penetrabo inferiores partes terre et inspiciam omnes dormientes et illuminabo omnes sperantes in domino id est I shall entre into the lower partes of the earth I wyll loke vpon all them that slepe I wyl lyghten all them that hope and truste in the lorde And many other lyke places of scripture But there is none of all these authorites that may constrayne hym that lyste to ihwarâ—e and fynde cauyllations to beleue that the soule of Christe wente downe by it selfe personalâ—ye to helle or as they call it to lymbum For the scripture dothe oftentymes call deathe and the graue by â—his name inferos whiche same worde is englysshed other whiles helle as for exaumple in the .xliiii. chapitoure of Genesis
¶ what this worde infery doth signifie otherwhiles in the scriptur◠☞ Morietur et deducent famuli tuâ— canos eius cum dolore ad inferos that is to saye He shall dye and thy seruauÌ„tes shall brynge his hore heares with sorowe to his graue He called here the aged bodye of Iacob horeheares and by this worde inferos he meante the sepulture or graue And this thynge dothe saynte Cipriane in fewe wordes in a maner shewe whan after that he hadde sayde before that this partycle is not hadde neyther in the churches of the west nor in the churches of the east he addeth afterwardes these wordes Uis tameÌ„ verbi videtur eadem esse in eo quod sepultus dicitur that is too saye Howe be it there semeth to be the same strâ—ngthe of the worde in that that he is sayde to haue ben buried As who sholde saye that descendere ad inferna were noughte els but to be buryed in the graue which our lorde speakynge of his owne buryall called to be in the hert of the earth In these testimonies which they alledge of the scripture there are certayne whiche are well nere of no wayghte but there is none of theÌ„ but eyther it is darke with the myste of allegorie orels it dothe receyue dyuerse and manifolde interpretations Neither are the reasons whiche they do brynge of muche more wayghte Amonge whiche one is playnly and vtterlye reiected and refused DISC. whiche is that MAG Because orygynall synne dyd not onely brynge the deathe of body but also the tourmente and payne of soules that by the reasone of it they sholde wante the vysyon and syghte of godes face therefore they do suppose it to be conuenyente and accordynge that lykewyse as Christe by thâ— deathe of his bodye dyd abolyshe and take awaye bodyly payne euen soo by suffrynge in his soule he sholde take awaye the payne of the soules DIS Are we than at lybertie whether we lyste to beleue or not to beleue this particle MAG yf the vniuersall churche hath now receiued it it is not lawful for the not to beleue it Nota. It is sufficiente for the to professe that Christe dyd so desceÌ„de ad inferos as the scripture and the churche dothe thynke and meane But yet as it is a poynte of Christiane wysdome not to beleue verye lyghtlye that thynge for certayne and vndowted whiche is not expressed in the holy scriptures euen soo is it a poynte of Christian mekenes not to refuse prowdly and frowardly that thynge whiche the relygyouse contemplacyon of good and godly men hathe taughte either to the solace and comforthe or els to the erudition of them that do beleue of whiche sorte are these thynges also That the holye ghoste toke one of the moste purest droppes of bloude out of the virgine Maries herte and layde it downe into her matrice and that hereof sodeynly was made the perfighte body of a man soo smalle as is a lytle spyder whiche is but euen nowe cropen forthe from the egge But yet with all the membres fulle fynyshed and perfyghte and that in the same momente a soule was infused and putte into it beynge euen verye than forthewith as perfyghte in all powers and qualytyes as it is mowe in heuen lykewyse that they doo teache that Christ by the reason of the complexion of his humane body whiche they wyll to haue ben in hym farre moste subtyle and so therfore of moste quicke and sharpefelynge dyd suffre more greuouse and bytter paynes than ony man may possibly suffre the payne of them onely excepted whiche are perpetuallye damned in helle These thynges and suche other lyke vnto these lette them be soo herde as deuoute and holy contemplations of men concernynge Christe but not as articles of the faythe Many suche maner thynges haue certaine men ymagyned also about this particle whiche we haue shewed to be an addytyon to the Crede tellynge what persones Christe dyd brynge out from helle and whome he dyd leue there stylle and what thynges with what wordes he dyd speake to euery one of the cyrcles But this is sufficiente for vs that he was ones in fleshe borne a very man that he dyd veryly suffre passyon that he hathe veryly died and ben buryed And that he hath verylye reuyued agayne the very same soule returned agayne into the owne naturall body It folowethe He rose agayne the thyrde daye vnlesse Christe had rysen agayne all hope of immortalyte had ben quite and clene taken from vs. But he rose agayne accordynge to the scriptures for this hathe the symble redde in the masse added lykewyse as the blessed Apostle Paule sayde i. Corâ— xv ☞ I haue taughte to you principallye that whiche I receiued and learned of the lorde that Christe hathe died ones for our synnes accordynge to the scriptures and that be hath ben buried and that he hathe rysen agayne the thyrde daye accordynge to the scriptures But though the resurrectioÌ„ of our lorde hath ben shawwed before by so many figures of whiche our lorde hymselfe dyd expouÌ„de and declare one that is to witte Math. xii Ione .v. of Ionas whiche was iÌ„ the bely of a whal iii. dayes and .iii. nyghtes and though it haue ben promised by soo many oracles and prophesies of so many Prophetes and also so ofteÌ„tymes shewed before of Christe hymselfe with euidente wordes Luce. xviii nothyâ—ge darkened with ony myste of Trope or Allegory And finally hath ben confyrmed with so many euydente testimonies of the Apostles Math. xx Mar. x. yet all this not withstandynge there haue not lacked some men whiche in very dede as it is wonte to be sayde in the prouerbe in the very bryght lyght of the sonne were blynde and could not see Cerinthus For Cerinthê° sayde that Christ is not yet risen agayn but that he shall in tyme to come longe herafter rise agayn Other some agayn dyd fayne that Christe hymselfe is in dede risen agayne but yet that our bodyes shall neuer reuyue nor rise agayne whome saynte Paule dothe openly confute gatherynge that it dothe necessaryly folowe i. Cor. xv Yf Christe dyd not ryse agayne that neither shal we rise agayn and yf we shall rise agayne that Christe muste nedes than haue risen agayne For lykewyse as he dyd suffre for our sakes that we sholde be delyuered by hym from eternall deathe euen so hathe he also rysen agayne for our sakes that by hym we sholde gete and obtayne eternal lyfe i. Cor. xv He rose beynge the fyrste frute of them that slepe But he that is the fyrst can not be alone neither wyll the hede leue or forsake his membres Certayne men folowyng Ualentine for theyr authoure do graunte and confesse the resurrection of the spirite and of the soule Ualentine but the resurrection of the bodyes they do denye not withstondynge that in Christe was shewed the example and paterne of our resurrection Nowe he rose agayne whole that is to saye both
so much as touched onywhitte with the false tales of men For she onely is excellently chaste of whome the fame is aschamed to speake euyll And therfore this mystery was hydde kepte secrete a longe season For it is lykely that Marie and Iosephe dyd kepe these misteries in theyr herte vntyll suche tyme that after the sendyng of the holy ghost froÌ„ heuen the gospell dyd sprâ—ade abrode his lyghte thrugh out the hole worlde Considre therfore now how many thyngê we haue learned by this article coÌ„preheÌ„ded in few wordes fyrste that Iesus Christe is very god of god the same to haue ben borne very maÌ„ of a woman a virgine without the helpe or workynge of man But by the worke of the diuine spirite And that he hathe come in to this worlde nat only to redeme the worlde The causes of Christes comyng into the worlde but also to teache and instructe vs with moste full auctorite to kendle enflame vs with diuerse argumeÌ„tes vnto the loue of the heuenly lyfe Now considre me I praye the howe many horrible heresies erroures the lyghte of this verite hathe driuen awaye yt is very sore agaynst my wyl to reherce the detestable and abominable blasphemes with the vnhappy names of the authoures of them but yet thys thynge shal profyghte and healpe wel hereunto that we may bothe more fastly hold and kepe our beleâ—â—e and also geue thankes the more abundantly to god whiche hathe vouchesaued to open and shewe so greatte lyghte vnto vs. That many dyd erre and holde wronge opinions aboute his diuine natiuite of his father it is lesse to be meruayled Carpocrates Câ—rinthus Ebion Paulus Samosatensis Photinus But it is a poynte of more madnesse that his humane natiuite which hathe ben proued and declared by so many and so euident argumentes hathe ben assailed with so many monstres of opinions Carpocrates Cerintyusâ— Ebion Paulus Samosatensis and Photine in name but Scotine in very dede do graunte that Christ was a very man But they saye that he was a pure a mere man borne betwene man and woman after the maner of other menâ— albeit he had the soule of a prophete These men do mutilate and mayme the persone of Christ of more than the one halffe The same men do saye that Christe is called the son of god but by free adoption lykewise as other good vertuose men are And that he was nat at all afore that he was borne of the virgine These heretikes sayncte Iohan euaÌ„geliste dothe openly refelle and coÌ„fute pronouncyng plainly Iohan. i. That the selfe same worde which in the begynnyng was with god and was god to be made fleshe And in the same euangeliste our lorde hymselfe speaketh openly in this wyse Afore that Abraham was made Iohan. viii I am Agayne Paule in the .ix. chapiter to the Romaynes saythe Roma .ix. ☞ Of whome Christe cam as touchyng his body whiche is god ouer all thynges blessed for euer more Neither are the Manicheis any whitte lesse madde than these afore reherced which do gyue vnto Christ som parte of the diuine nature Manicheisâ— but they do styfly affyrme that he toke vpon hym mannes body nat a very body in dede but only a phantasticall body lykewise as we do rede that aungels and fendes haue otherwhiles apered iÌ„ bodily shape and lykenesse vnto men These persons do make Christe a iuglere or a trogeter and a wonderfull deceiuer of men But a phantasme is nat borne of a woman Neyther can a phantasme or spirite do those thynges whiche our lorde dyd so many yeres space throughout all hys lyfe tyme eatyng drynkyng slepynge waxyng wery hungrieng thurstynge speakyng beyng conuersaunte among men at none dayes geuynge hymselfe to be touched and handled to be crucified slayne He hymselfe also sayde to his disciples in the laste chapiter of Luke whaÌ„ they were astonied abashed because they thought that they had sene a spirite or a ghoste Luc. xxiiii ☞ Wherfore are you troubled saythe he and why do thoughtes and musynges ascende into your hertes Beholde my handes and my fete for it is euen myne owne selfe Handle me se for a spirite hathe neyther fleshe ne bones so as you do se that I haue Ualentine Nexte after these cometh Ualentine the framer forger of worldes whiche imagined Christe nat to haue ben gendred of the substauÌ„ce of the virgine but to haue broughte with hym a celestiall body from heuen or els which thyng madde Appelles dothe wene raither to be true a body taken of the elementes in the ayre Appelles and so to haue passed thrugh the body of the virgine lykewyse as liquoure and lyghte passethe through a pype of lede or throughe a cranel or hole But this is nat proprely to be borne but to passe throughe for neyther dothe the cranel or hoâ—e gendre or brynge forthe the sonne be alme but the sonne itselfe neyther dothe the pype gendre the liquoure but the fountayne or sprynge dothe it But whan Paule the apostle saythe vnto the Romaynes these wordes Ro. i. Qui factus est ex semine Dauid secundum carnem .i. Whiche as touchyng fleshe was made of the sede of Dauid and in the .iiii. chapiter to the Galatianes Misit deus filium suum factum ex muliere .i. Gala. iiii God sente his son made or gendred of a woman By these wordes he dothe openly professe that Christe dyd take the substaunce of his body of the substauÌ„ce of the virgins body Neither euery thynge whiche ony maner way is bredde or gendred of man is forthwith a man for els lyse sholde be called men But that thynge whiche is conceyued in the matrice or wombe of a woman of the very substauÌ„ce of man and in due and lawfulle tyme is borne broughte forth by naturall membres in all markes and tokens lyke a man and whiche is called a sonne that thynge veryly is a man Arrius Nexte cometh Arrius by soo muche the more wretched and madde in opynyon by howe muche he dothe more subtely craftily geue vnto Christ the body of a man taketh from hym the sowle of man saynge that the godhed was in stede of soule soo that in Christ after his opinion there were but two natures that is to witte the bodye of man and verbum id est the worde whiche same worde for all that Arrius willeth to be a creature in dede more excellent than all other creatures but yet a creature But with what face do they confesse grauÌ„t hym to be a man from whome they doo take awaye the better parte of man For who doth not know that man is made of .ii. separable substaÌ„ces that is to witte of the body as of the materiall substauÌ„ce and of the soule as of the fourme wherfore yf ony spirite doth moue the body of a deade man no man wyll calle it a man that he seeth but a wondre or monstre But
but the same god Erroneouse opinions concernynge the holy ghoste Certayn men haue sayde that the holy ghoste is not a substauce but that he is noughte els but the concitation or styrrynge of a godly mynde But this motion or styrrynge of our mynde is in dede caused and cometh of the holy spirite but it is not the verye holye goste selfe lykewise as imagination cometh of the soule but yet is it not the very soule selfe For the sayde motion or styrrynge of the mynde in vs is an accidente but that thynge that is god is neyder accidente neyther is it mengled to ony accidente Other some agayne haue sayde that the holye ghoste is a creature added as a minister or seruaunte to the sone whome also they do make a creature And these men do openlye denye the holye ghoste to be god Mat. xxviii But our lorde whan in the forme and maner of baptisyng he dothe ioyne the father the sone and the holy ghoste all .iii. together he dothe not mengle or ioyne a creature with the creator neither an accidente with a substaunce but he hathe expressed thre persones all of one essence But because the erroures coÌ„cernÿng the holy ghost haue not very greatly trobled and encombred or febled the churche of Rome but haue moste specially and chefly raged amonge the Grekes The errores coÌ„cernynge the holy ghoste raged moste in Grece londâ— therfor hath the symbole which was made in the councell holden at ConstaÌ„tinople added put to certayne wordes of the holy ghost callynge hym dominuÌ„ lorde and viuificatorem .i. quickener or maker alyue why the holy ghoste is called lorde In that it doth call hym lorde it doth make hym egal to the sone excludyng the name of a minister or seruaunte for there are not many lordes for the sone is not called lorde of the holy goste but the lorde of all thynges created whiche dominum or lordshippe is coÌ„mune to all .iii. persones Howe be it this greke word Kyrios is not alwaies a worde of dominion or lordshyppe Kyrios but otherwhiles it is a worde betokenynge authorite nowe is the holy ghoste authour of all those scriptures whiche the churche accoÌ„pâ—eth for diuine scriptures and of which the auâ—horite is inuiolable but because the father hath in the gospel testified wâ—tnessed of the sone Math. iii. This is my welbeloued sone herken to hym geuynge to hym most soueraigne highe authorite leste ony man shold thynke or suppose that the authorite of the holy spirite were lesse than the authorite of the sone they dyd adde put to Pneuma kyrion .i. the spirite the authour in that it doth cal hym viuificatoreÌ„ .i. quickener or lyfegeuer Et spuÌ„m dominum whythe same ghoste is called quickener it doth agayne make hym egall to the sone to the father for our lorde saith in the gospell of Iohan. As the father doth raise quicken vp and make alyue those that are deade Ioannis .v. so doth the sone also quicken make alyue whoÌ„ he lyste Leste ony man therfore sholde thynke that the holy ghoste were here excluded they added â—t viuificanteÌ„ .i. quicknyng or makyng alyue The differeÌ„ce betwen the speakynge of the sone the speakynge of the holy ghoste the differeÌ„ce betwen the qckenyng or raisyng vp deade men of the one of the other And lykewise as this difference there is that the sone hathe spoken openly in fleshe the holy ghost hath spokeÌ„ by the prophetes the same dayly dothe speke secretly by the churche euen so dyd the sone bodily raise vp deade men beynge both the authour also the fyrst frut of resurrection but the holy ghost by pardonynge forgeuyng synÌ„es doth spiritually quickeÌ„ make alyue for synne is the death of the soule froÌ„ which to reuoke call agayne ony man is a greatt thyng than it was to raise vp Lazarê° beiÌ„g .iiii. Ioannis .xi. dayes deade out of his graue saue onely that al thyngê are lyke muche or egally easy to be done of god But because this outward spiriâ— or breathe is a thynge inconstante waueryng vnstable leste ony man sholde ymagyne ony semblable and lyke thyng of the holy ghoste they called hym Kyrion that is to saye of substanciall and stronge inuiolable authorite Ioan. xv And in the gospell of Iohan our lorde hymselfe calleth hym the spirite of trouthe Thus muche as touchynge difference Quickener Nowe on the other syde because by the sendynge forthe and receyuynge in agayne of breath or ayer by course we do lyue bodyly the holy ghoste very conueniently and accordyngly is called spiritus viuificator .i. a quickenynge spirite whiche doth geue vnto vs causeth that we do lyue as touchynge the better parte of vs that is to witte the soule Agayne because this breathe or wynde seameth a certayne cruel and vnmercifull thyng whan it dothe rayse or styrre vp waues in the see whaÌ„ it doth cause the earthe to shake or quake and whan it tearethe trees in sondre they do geue to the holy ghoste goodnesse DI. why he is called the holye spirite Why is he called holy MA. For a difference from other spirites for we do rede in the scriptures that Saul had an euyll spirite sente of the lorde and that a lyinge spirite was in the mouthe of the prophetes i. Regum xix and .xvi. We rede also of the spirite vertiginis of the spirit of sothesayers of the spirite of gelosy we Leuit. xx Actuum .xvi. rede these wordes spirituÌ„ pessimuÌ„ .i. the moste euyll spirite the spirite of fornication Actuum xix spiritum nequam .i. the wicked spirite the vnclene spirite the spirite of this worlde the spirite of Satan we rede also the proude and highe spirites of man as in the .xvi. chapitoure of the prouerbes Ante ruinam exaltabitur spiritus .i. Afore his decaye and fall his spirite shall be lyfted vp in pride what meruailouse chaÌ„ges the holy gost worketh in maÌ„nes soule From all these spirites is the holy ghoste separated and disseuered whiche maketh men for proude and highmynded meke and mylde whiche ryddeth and delyuereth men from all companie and felowshippe of Satan whiche inspireth to mâ—n the very despisynge of this worlde whiche by faythe purifieth and clenseth the hertes of men whiche driuethe awaye all i. Cor. xiii malice and wickednesse whiche geueth true charite that is not misdemyng neyther i. Cor. ii thynket ony euyll which openeth the secreth misteries of the scriptures whiche ledeth into euery verite trouth D. Iohan. xvi Are nat aungelles also called spiritus sancti id est holy spirites MA. Yes verily and so are they in very dede So also the spirite of man is well called holy but there is but one spirite alone whiche is by nature holy and which of it selfe dothe sanctifie and make holy all thynges that are verily holy Spiritus What so euer
than any death what shall thaÌ„ the frayltye of man do MAG what is to be done in the greatte stormes of persecution Our lorde hymselfe hath prescribed a fourme and hath set vs an exaumple whaÌ„ that excedyng feare yrkesomnes agonye shall come so sore vpon vs we shall acknowlege the weyknesse of our ouwe might streÌ„gth wholly mystrustyng our owne power and ayde we shall caste our selues flatte vpon the grounde and with greate confidence and truste shall with wepynge desyre and call for the helpe of the diuyne power nothyng consideryng how greuouse or how cruell the thynges be that are manacyd or thretened to vs or howe frayle our condition and state is but consideryng and remembrynge howe myghty and howe mercyfull the lord is vnder whose defence and gouernaunce we do fyght which is not deafe whan he is called on with faith trust but eyther dothe delyuer from euylles or els dothe adde and encreace strength to vs that we may strongly and manfully endure and suffre Fayth is inuincible in al maner bataylle For faythe is a thyng verily inuincible in all kyndes of batayles for there do not lacke batayles and stryues euen amonge christen men also to such persones as do studye labonre to lyue godly in Iesu Christ. ii Timo. iii. Nowe who so euer done exercyse themselues dayly in these lyghter smalleâ— conflictes or skirmyshes are at that batayle founde vnafrayde wherfore it is conuenient and mete that the cheffest â— principall study of a christen soldyer be to quycken or styrre vp and also to encreace dayly the vigoure and lyuelynes of fayth A christen â—oldyer sholde pryncypallye study to quyâ—kâ—Ì„ encreace this fayth DIS By what meanes may one attayne this The meanes wherby he may do it M. The fyrst poynte is that whiche the lordr dothe teache ☞ Aske you shall haue But that the prayer maye not be ydle Prayer lette almoyse helpe not onely outwarde almoyse which refresheth comforteth the body but also spirituall almoyse Almoyse bothe corporall and spirituall by monysshynge louyngly hym that is out of the ryght waye by teachyng gentylly hym that is vnlearned by mercyfully forgeuynge hym that hath offended or hurte the. Hearing ofte sermones Readynge of holy wrytte RemeÌ„brauÌ„ce of Christes death To these adde also often hearynge of sermones and holy readynge sometyme the one sometyme the other by course often callyng to remembraunce of the deathe of our lorde namely whaÌ„ thou haste receyued his body bloude finally often coÌ„memoration rehersall of those men women whiche in tourmentes RemeÌ„brauÌ„ce of saynctes i. Timo. i. diuerse kyndes of death haue fought a good batayle or feld for Christ sake by these nouryshemeÌ„tes the sparke of fayth is nouryshed quyckened encreased D. Good syr I do gyue thaÌ„kes to the â—pirite of Christe whiche by the instrument of your tonge hath vouchesafed to teache me so meruaylouse philosophye and wysdome except there be yet any whyt more remaynynge behynde MAG There remayneth not much behynde that I may teache but peraduenture there resteth behynd somewhat wherof I may admonysh the if thou be not yet waxeÌ„ wery how be it this thyng haue I done all redy hertofore by the way DIS I verily by hearyng a lytle and a lytle do waxe more thrusty and desyrouse to here MAG Than that that resteth behynde we shall put to at our nexte commynge together The .vi. instruction DISCIPLE I Am comen agayne now lokynge and longynge for the laste messe of this moste delicate and swete feaste MA. This resteth or remayneth behynde to confirme eche thyng contaytayned in the Crede with diuerse testimonies of bothe testamentes For there is nothynge taught herein which was not many thousand yeres agoo diuersly shadowed by the figures of the lawe of Moyses and also shewed or told before by the oracles of the prophetes ye and certayn thynges also were euidently expressed As for exaumple that there are not manye goddes and that of one god this world was created for who so euer euen afore the lawe gyuen dyd lyue vertuosly godly dyd worshyp onely one god the creature of all the worlde Math. xi Prophecie ended in Iohan Baptiste Now the gyfte of prophecie resteth ceassed in IohonÌ„ Baptiste as in the ioynynge together of bothe lawes whose fortune it was that whome other prophetes as it were through a myst dyd shew a farre of for to come hym he shewed present poyntyng hym with his fynger But of all prophetes the moste sure and vndowtedly true prophete was our lorde to his owne selfe fullfyllynge with his dedes declarynge that which was shadowed by the obscure sayinges and figures of of the olde lawe amonge the people in parables and among his disciples somtyme couertly sometyme openly His diuine nature he shewed with workes and dedes rayther than expressed it with wordes And who shold euer haue vnderstonde that by the brasen serpente whiche was hanged vp on a stake was shadowed and figured Christ crucified Numeri xxi if our lorde hymselfe had not vouchesafed to expounde declare it Iohan. iii. Iohan. ii That sayinge of his louse you a sondre this temple and within .iii. dayes I wyll rayse it agayne was not vnderstanden not of his owne disciples vntyll after his resurrection Moreouer who wolde haue demed that Ione .ii. Ionas which was deuoured of a whale was cast forth agayne alyue on the thyrde daye dyd prefigure the buryal the resurrection of Christ. Math. xii And whan the tyme of his death drewe somewhat nere he gaue his disciples openly monition and knowlege afore that he shold be delyuered to the Gentiles to be mocked nayled on a crosse Math. xx but he comforteth the same agayn promysinge that he wolde ryse agayne on the thyrde daye Iohan. xxvi So lykewyse afore his death he tolde them somewhat darkely of his ascension but after his resurrection he tolde them agayne of the same more euidently Luce. xxiiii In lyke maner he tolde them before Math. xiii Luce. xiii that the mustarde sede that is to saye the fayth of the gospell from very small begynnynges shold be spredde abrode throughe out the whole worlde also shewed them before Iohan. xv xvi that shold chaunce betyde the preachers of the gospell Math. xxi This thynge also he tolde them before that the religion of the Iewes sholde be taken awaye and destroyed and the religion of the gospell translated conuayed to the Gentiles the Iewes styll contynuynge remaynyng in theyr darke blyndenesse vntyll that at mete conuâ—nient tyme accordyng to the prophecie of saynct Paule Roma .xi. ☞ of the Iewes Geutiles sholde be made one folde vnder the onely hedepapastour Christ. Iohan. x. Neither dyd he so much as hyde this from them that the chyrch sholde in tyme afterward to come be assayled with dyuerse heresies Math.
For euen the commune sorte and most parte of hethen folke also doth hate and abhorre them whiche do not regard theyr progenitoures and which done cast them into heuynes and discomfort And it is communely seen to come passe that as euery man hath vsed and behaued hymselfe towardes his father and mother euen so do his chyldreÌ„ vse and demeane theyrselues towardes hym neyther is there any greater or more greuous calamite that may happen to a man than to haue wycked and vnnaturall or vnkynd chyldren And vnkyndues deseruethe that the thynge which a maÌ„ hath receyued vndeseruyng he shall lose and forgo agayne not wyllynge we are detters for our lyfe to our progemtoures and parentes towardes whome if we be kynde it is ryghte and reason that we sholde longe enioy that which we haue taken or receyued And yet are not those men disceyued of the thynge here promised them to whome it chauncethe not to lyue longe here in this worlde For eyther this thynge is gyuen whiche is here promysed accordynge to the lettre or els some thynge much more excellent and better than it for that man doth not disceyue breake promyse which promisyng glasse dothe gyue a preciouse stone By these .iiii. preceptes we are warned and taught that we sholde be kynde towardes them that haue done vs good also that we sholde do good vnto them towardes whome we do after a certayne maner represente the person of god Nowe to represse the grosse malice of the Iewes those thynges are expresly forbyden by which one man hurteth another man The .v. precepte Of all iniuries the moste haynous and greâ—ous is manslaughter how be it in the name of manslaughter are contayned and vnder stonded all affections or passions by which we do go towardes manslaughter of the which the fyrst grece or steppe is wrat â—conceyued in the mynde hatred what wrath is wrathe is a sorowe or grefe desyryng greatly wroke or vengeaunce Hatred Haâ—tred is olde roted wrath an affection or passion at euery occasion redy to hurte wrath is the more vehement passion or grefe as beyng of a freshe rawe wound but hatred is the more incurable of the two Enuie Enuie is worse than they bothe whiche doth interprete iudge another maÌ„nes felicite and welth to be her owne iniurie hurt The next degre or steppe is wrathe breakyng out into a voyce or sounde of indignation which voyce our lord in the gospell calleth Racha Math. v. Racha The thyrd degree is grefe breakyng out into a manifest open raylynge or reuilynge word as whaÌ„ we say Thou sole AmoÌ„g men that man is accused of manslaughter which hath taken away the lyfe froÌ„ his neyghboure Afore god he is a man queller who so euer haâ—eth his neyghboure that is to saye beareth euyll wyll towardes hym wold hym harme for we are angry or miscoÌ„tented euen with those persons also to whom we owe beneuolence good wyll not to the entent that we wolde hurte them but that we myght ameÌ„d theÌ„ we do hate in a man not that thynge which god hath made but that thyng which he hymselfe hath made The false accuser the pykequarel in stede of a swerd of a darte of poyson vseth his tong to kyll men with al. The couetous man whyles he doth not succurre releue his nedy hungry neyghboure kylleth hym with famen for he doutles doth kyll He kylleth that maye saue wyll not whosoeuer dothe not saue whan he may saue Peraduenture his neyghbour doth not dye what thaÌ„â— yet asmuch as in hym is which dyd not help hym in his necessite whaÌ„ he was in ieoperdy he is kylled deade witches do kyll men with enchauntemeÌ„tes The backbyter slaunderour driueth men to deathe it forceth not howe or by what meanes one taketh awaye his neyghbours lyfe where so euer is a froward maliciouse mynd to hurt there is manslaughter womeÌ„ which with medicines prouoke castyng of theyr chylde afore the due tyme done coÌ„mitte infant slaughter Those ê‘sons which with slauÌ„drouse bokes done rayle on any maÌ„ apparyng his good fame done kylle slee with theyr penne D. If it be no maner way lawful to kyll or slee what shall we say of warres of opeÌ„ iudgemeÌ„tes M. In lawful ryghtful iudgemeÌ„tê it is the law self that killeth not the iudge Now the law is of god which commaundeth one membrâ— to be taken away for the helth and sauâ— garde of the whole body but yet surâ—geones and leches doo not fall to cutâ—tyng as longe as there is by any otheâ— waye hope to recouer helth A similytude betwen a iudge or a prince a surgeone so lykewysâ— it belongeth to a christeÌ„ iudge or princâ— and ruler not to come vnto the ponysâ—shement of deathe except he haue fyrstâ— assayd all other wayes and whan nonâ— otherway wyll helpe be compelled therunto A notable sentence He that iudgeth corruptelye oâ— whiche mysuseth the lawes applyengâ— them and makynge them serue to his owne pryuate hatrede or aduauntageâ— althoughe the malefactoure be worthy death yet doth the iudge commyt manslaughter Of warre As touchynge warre whaâ— shall I say wolde god that all men dyd so abhorre warres as thoughe it were parrycidye there to kyll any man in as muche as euery christen man is brother to other But in a batayle ryghtfully be gonne and lawfully made the law doth kyll and not maÌ„ Nota. But the prince which begynnethe warre not of neceâ—site noâ— for the loue and fauoure of the coÌ„munâ— weale but for his owne pryuate affections he doth committe so many muâ—â—dres or manslaughters as there be men that eyther done dye in that batayle or els dryuen to starue for hunger Adde this moreouer who so euer eyther for hatred or for hope of praye doth runne to batayle although he doth slee no body yet is he a maÌ„queller for there wanted not wyll but there wanted to the wyll power or occasion DIS A notable question Aunsâ—â—re what if a priuate persone bearynge none offyce doth kyll one that inuadeth hym in his owne defence MAG If sure and vndouted deathe be threttened hym and there be no waye to auoyde or escape I wolde counsayle hym that is a perâ—yte man harâ—ely to desyre and call for helpe of god which is oftentymes more nerer at hande than we do beleue seyng thaâ— we doo rede that euen a dragon beynge wakened with the crye of him of whom she had in tymes afore passed ben fedde and nouryshed hath runne vnto hym delyueryd hym froÌ„ theues Nota. In this case if he had leuer to be kylled than to kyll I wolde iudge that he hath done the office and duetye of a christen man But to that that it myghte be lawefull for a man to saue his owne lyfe by kyllynge of his aduersarie that â—ls wolde slee hym many thynges are requyred whiâ—che to pursue and speake of here